Darkness
by InuLuna19
Summary: The poem in the beginning was just something I thought up while walking home one night. Summary: What if Kagome had a secret that was killing her slowly. What if Inuyasha was the cause of her breaking. Of falling into darkness. First fanfic, R&R, please. If this falls into a better genre let me know.
1. Chapter 1

**Darkness**

I wait for life to continue

For life to end

For a new beginning

I wait until night comes

The darkness is welcoming

On a cold, cloudless night in winter

The darkness leaves me surrounded in warmth

While the cold bites at my very soul

I wish to the clear night sky

I wish for nothing

To disappear, to not feel

No pain, no love

Only nothingness, as I wait to fade away

Ready for the darkness to engulf me

To make my wish come true.

It never does

I feel the heat of the sun as it breaks the horizon

Promising that life will go on

That I will not disappear

That the darkness will end

I am chained to this place by the unknown

My future, my feelings, my purpose

But when the sun sets I will remain

Wishing again for the darkness to wrap me in its warmth

For me to fade to nothing

To just disappear.

As the darkness is wrapped around me.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, but I do own this poem and my characters.

Internal Darkness

I was always called pure and innocent. A wonderful priestess, but nobody knows or wants to comprehend the dark monster sealed inside me. A demon born from darkness. It waits for the seal to break. Heartbreak or death. Whichever comes first in my life to make me surrender my body to the all-consuming darkness that awaits me. My heart is breaking everyday now as I watch him abandon me and leave for the one who does not belong on this Earth. He holds my life in his hands and he does not realize this. I am breaking and once I do I won't be able to be put back together. I look to the sky and see the moon glowing eerily as it casts shadows on everything around me. Then I look back to the fire as it struggles against the darkness of the night; much like my soul.

"Kagome, you haven't eaten your food", said an energetic, yet worried fox demon. "I'm just not hungry Shippo. Don't worry I'll be fine." I looked at the young fox demon whom I will miss so much when I am gone, "I think I am going to go for a walk." I said as I got up from around the fire and walked to the forest and into the darkness. The battle for the jewel was over and Naraku is dead and the jewel is gone. Kikyo is alive, as alive as clay can be, and Inuyasha goes to see her almost every night. Sango and Miroku are in the village taking care of their newborn twins. Kirara is with Shippo waiting for Inuyasha's and my return. 'I don't know how many times I can return, at this point I want to disappear into the darkness, be drowned in nothingness, to have it all just… end.' I thought as I was walking through the dark forest. I suddenly felt the presence of Inuyasha and I raised a barrier to erase my own as I continued forward to nowhere. I could feel myself breaking. Pieces falling and cracking on my soul; soon, I will break completely, very soon.

I came upon a large tree in the middle of the forest and beneath it I saw Kikyo waiting with her soul collectors. Her sad and solemn face looking up at me with sorrow and pity, "Kagome you are breaking." She said this with pity and sadness; she was one of the few who could see the seal... and my other half. "Kikyo I will give you a gift before I shatter completely." I said to her with a pain filled voice. This time Kikyo was the one with a pained expression, "He loves you, he truly does." I smiled sadly as a single tear escaped from my eye, "that is why I am breaking."

"Oi, Shippo where is Kagome?" asked Inuyasha as he looked for his other companion. He looked to the fox youkai who looked both angry and on the verge of tears. "You baka! You have no idea what you've done! I hope you are happy with Kikyo because Kagome isn't coming back this time! You Stupid Two Timing Dog! Why Couldn't You Just Make Up Your Mind?" Shippo was screaming at Inuyasha, who was starting to get concerned. Then Shippo whispered, "maybe, then... she wouldn't have left me too." Tears were streaking down his face as he sat in front of the fire; he knew that he was going to lose his mother a second time. "What do you mean Shippo? Where is Kagome? What happened? Answer me Damnit! Where Is Kagome!?" Inuyasha was growing frantic and afraid at what could have possibly happened. Inuyasha heard Shippo say barely above a whisper, "she went for a walk in the forest, but this time she isn't going to come back, not this time." Before Shippo could look up Inuyasha was already at the edge of the forest.

'Kagome where are you? I don't want you to leave me. I will find you.' Inuyasha thought as he ran through the forest trying to find Kagome's scent again. He had been following it until it suddenly disappeared altogether. He kept running aimlessly until he was blasted back by a barrier. He tested the barrier again and it held strong. 'Kikyo… no this Kagome's barrier, but this is the way to Kikyo. What is Kagome going to do?' he thought in panic as set in at the thought of losing them both. He took out his Tetsaiga and it began to glow red. "Like hell I will lose either of them." He said out loud as swung the large sword.

"What could you offer me in your state? You are one more crack away from shattering." She stated as she watched me with sad cold eyes. "What do you truly want Kikyo?" I asked her with a genuine smile. I then felt Inuyasha hit my barrier, I knew I would not have a lot of time, but I could take a few hits from his sword in order to complete my task. I looked back at Kikyo who was looking at me at me with a rare smile on her face. "I want to be a normal human, to be free of my bonds and live a normal life, if that were possible." She chuckled slightly at what she had said. All she wanted was to be human; it was a simple wish that cost her life long ago. "If I could give this to you, would you be able to leave this time and Inuyasha?" I asked the clay woman in front of me as she thought of a suitable answer. "I do love Inuyasha, but he is not the one I am meant to be with. If I was given a second chance at life I would take it no matter what time it was in." she stated after making her decision. "I will ask you one more time. Is that what you really want, even if it meant not having your powers and living in a time far off in the future?" I asked her to make sure. Then I felt the barrier crack as Inuyasha swung his sword and hit my barrier a second time. I was running short on time. "Yes" was all that Kikyo said as she smiled slightly at the thought of being truly alive once more. Then he struck my barrier again causing cracks to appear in its surface, it reminded me of my cracked soul and soon to be shattered. "I will grant your wish, but you must do exactly as I request of you" I, barely, managed to say. I explained to Kikyo what to do and she left me standing at the foot of the Tree of Ages. I reached my hand to the scar on the tree and smiled sadly as the darkness crept through the cracks of my soul.

"Damn! Why isn't this working? I feel like something bad will happen, I have to get to them as soon as possible" he said as he felt fear gripping him. Thoughts ran through his head of Kikyo in pieces and Kagome bleeding on the ground with lifeless eyes. "NO!" he screamed as he swung his sword at the barrier for a second time, still failing to break through. He collapsed on the ground at the thought of losing them, of losing Kagome. What would he do if he lost Kagome, she was his life, his air that he breathed, '**you only realized this now?' **his beast growled at him. 'Yeah I only realized just now how much she meant to me. How much I love her.' He stopped at that thought. 'I love Kagome.' It was a simple thought but it changed him completely. He had found his other half and he thought he might lose her. He drew his sword again with new determination. He was going to break through the barrier and protect Kagome. "I will always protect you Kagome!" he said and swung the sword with all of his strength for a third time.

All around me I saw the light of the barrier that once stood around me fall like the first snow of the year. I felt cold and lifeless as I walked to the well. I knew that he would follow my scent there and that I would have to say goodbye for the last time. I could feel his aura as he approached me, he seemed distressed, scared and near panicked. 'He will not like what is about to happen' I thought as I reached the well. I drew an arrow from my quiver and aimed it with my bow at the well. I pulled the bow string tight and imbued the arrow with as much spiritual energy as I could muster, when I heard him call my name. He burst through the tree line and looked at me with unbelieving and saddened gold eyes as I released the arrow. It flew and hit its target. The well would never open again.

I ran through the trees following the only scent that was left behind after the barrier was destroyed. When I realized where she was headed I sped up hoping to stop what was ever going to happen. I breached the tree line just in time to see her pull the bow string back and I shouted, "Kikyo!", but I was too late. She released the arrow. The well disappeared and so did Kagome's world and possibly Kagome too. "Why" it was all I could I say as I just stood there not knowing what to do, "why did you do it?" I asked the dead priestess that stood in front of me. Then I thought of Kagome, "Where is she? Where is Kagome?!" I was starting to see red. I was becoming frantic and I was about to go insane. The thought of losing Kikyo was frightening, but the thought of me losing Kagome was gut retching terrifying and agonizing. "Calm down Inuyasha. I have done only what Kagome had asked of me. As far as where Kagome is… she is no longer in this world. Her soul was only partially complete and the seal was shattered. To answer your question she was not my reincarnation, but that of a much more powerful priestess. My soul was necessary to contain the jewel and maintain the seal that she held." Her face was cold and emotionless as she explained why she had destroyed his connection to Kagome. "Why would she tell you this and what do you mean she is… not in this world… anymore?" I asked as fear slowly engulfed me as her words slowly registered in my mind. "The Kagome you knew is no more. Her soul has been sent to reunite with its missing piece and in doing so the seal was broken." Kikyo said sadly, 'I have little time left for this world.' She thought to herself as she felt her powers fading. "What seal?" I growled at the dead woman in front of me. Kikyo sighed and told me what she knew, which was not much, "Inside of her body she held a very powerful demon that is centuries old. It was sealed in her blood line by Midoriko herself. She sealed the demon after it requested her to in order to keep the world peaceful for a time. The demon was one of the most powerful demons of all time. She was the only survivor of the Great Tengu clan. As well as the one who destroyed her clan after they killed her would be mate. This is all that I know about the demon, but I will tell you this, Kagome will never come back to this era and you may never see her again." I stared at Kikyo for a while until tears started to fall from my eyes, 'Kagome… she is… gone. NO! NO! NO! She said she would never leave me! But… she is gone. My Kagome is gone…' the thoughts raced through my head as I felt my heart break into so many pieces. "Bring her back." I said in a low voice with my bangs covering my face, "BRING HER BACK!" I yelled at Kikyo with the tears still streaming down my face.

I looked at the man I used to love and could feel the sorrow and pain emanating from his aura and the horror and terrified expression on his face, 'Kagome… I wish that you would have stayed and been able to heal him. He is breaking just as you did, but he has no release.' I thought as I gazed upon his grief stricken face and said in a sad tone, "I can't." with those two words he fell to his knees with his arms at his side he looked utterly defeated and lost. His face held sorrow and pain, "_Please"_ he begged me with his gold eyes wet with overflowing tears. I knew that I had to tell him that I would leave him as well, that he would be alone. "Inuyasha, I am sorry, but I cannot bring her back; as well, I am not long for this world. She came to tell me that she could give me the humanity that I so desperately desired, but I would have to leave this world to do so. I am sorry that I will leave you. I love you, but you and I were not meant to be. Kagome told me to tell you that she loves you and she always will. The only solace I can give you is that she will be reincarnated in the future. I do not know when, but she will live again, that I am certain of." I walked up to the hanyou and knelt down in front of him. I wrapped my cold arms around his pitiful body and embraced him one last time before I disappeared, "Thank you, and Live Inuyasha. Live."

I barely noticed that Kikyo was walking to me until I felt her arms around me. I heard her last words as I felt her presence dissipate around me. She was gone too. I was alone… they were both gone...

I sighed as I watched the scene transpire from the shadows. I felt the familiar pain as I recalled my lost mate. I turned and left before the dead priestess had floated to the heavens. I looked at my clawed hands and saw the silver and midnight blue hair flutter in front of my face. My silver blue eyes looking forward not really seeing, 'I did not want to come back yet, if ever' I thought as stopped on the edge of a cliff. I remember the battles from so long ago with the priestess Midoriko and how I ended up as I was.

_ It was a cold night in winter when a mother was giving birth to her child, her hanyou child. "Midoriko, I am so sorry but the child is not long for this world. The reiki was too powerful" I said as I looked the woman whom I had befriended. She looked at me with sad eye, "So my fate is to lose them both." A few tears escaped her tired and pained fac. She had lost her lover in a previous battle to protect herself and her unborn child. "I can save her soul and make it strong, but you would lose me too. If I was sealed with her soul I would be able to strengthen it until it was complete, though she would not be a hanyou" I said in a sad tone as I watched the child in my arms slowly fading. I handed her to Midoriko, "Nozomi, your name is Nozomi." Midoriko smiled at her small child with raven hair and silver eyes, she looked like my brother, her father, but still held her mother's face. "Alright, please save her soul, do anything you can and protect her" I only nodded at her before she sealed me in her daughter's soul. _

Since then there have been a few times Nozomi was reincarnated, but her soul was never strong enough to live more than 30 years. A gust of wind blew at my back as my thoughts came to their end. I turned around and saw a familiar face, only now much older and much colder than before. His stoic face was emotionless but his golden eyes held a glimmer of sadness, "She is no longer here." I looked at him as he spoke of Kagome, Nozomi's most recent reincarnation, "You are correct. It has been a long time Lord Sesshoumaru." I looked at him and remembered when he was still a pup and I would have meetings with his father. "That it has, Princess Karumi of the Great Tengu clan.", he stated as he turned to walk away. "Sesshoumaru, wait. Take this, it is for your companion" I took one of my long black feathers from my large raven colored wings, "for protection, another thing, do not wait like your brother did, don't make that mistake." With that I handed him my feather and jumped off of the cliff and spread my wings to go elsewhere and bring peace, or darkness.

A/N: Yes Kagome dies. Inuyasha is all alone, Sesshoumaru now has another way to protect Rin and Midoriko had a daughter. No, Sesshoumaru is not a pedophile, he will wait for the right time, like at least 8 years in the future. This is where the story ends unless you read the extended ending. I added it because … I personally like happy endings.


	2. Epilogue

Epilogue:

June 2027:

The skyscrapers were tall as ever, the air smelled of pollution and there were people everywhere. It was hot out and people were wearing as little as appropriately possible. I looked up the steps to see the old gate of the shrine that I had not visited until about 30 years ago. The grandfather had long since died and I wasn't entirely sure that the family had stayed there. I slowly walked up the stairs, I had aged since the happy times so long ago, I now looked to be in my late twenties instead of the boyish teen I had once been. I took each step slowly as I heard voices and smelled the air, I smelled Souta, he was now a man and was probably married, and I also smelled three women and another man. Them I didn't recognize, but two of the smells did seem familiar. "Souta, honey you had better be getting ready for tonight, or we are going to be late for the dinner party." Yelled a woman's voice to her husband, "Yes my lovely Midoriko; I am getting ready and will be soon." Yelled Souta back. What he said next had me momentarily freeze, "Kikyo, I know that you are 20 but I want you to keep it safe so no alcohol. Hojo, take care and protect my daughter, if anything happens to her I will not hesitate to take action against you." Souta said this in a scarily happy tone. Then this 'Kikyo' spoke, and it was de ja vu, "Daaaad! Stop trying to scare him we are just going on a date. Why don't you go bug Kags about archery and her spiritual powers practice, after all she goes to clubs like every night." She sounded the same as 500 years ago, again, weird. Kikyo countered trying to get her father's attention off of her and her boyfriend. "Don't bring your twin into this, yes she goes to clubs, but she doesn't have a boyfriend. Unlike yourself." He finished as he sent the couple on their way. Inuyasha was almost at the top of the stairs when a man and someone who looked, sounded and even smelled like Kikyo started walking down. Kikyo looked at my face and stopped, then she turned around and yelled, "Hey there's someone here!" then she looked at me, "I'm sorry I can't help you but my sister should be able to." With that Kikyo ran to catch up with this Hobo character. 'Sister? It must be Kaede.' I thought sadly as I reached the top of the stairs. There stood Souta, who was now in his late 40's, with a smile on his face, "It is good to see you again" he said as he lead me to the familiar house, "I would like you to meet my wife Midoriko," he said as he grabbed a woman by the waist who, looked exactly like the priestess Midoriko, weird. "And my other daughter Ka…" as soon as he started to say her name a loud bang came from the upstairs bedroom as a door was slammed. I could smell a sweet cherry blossom scent emanating from the source of the noise. I could never forget that smell, and then I heard her voice.

"Sango I swear stop complaining and either kick his ass and dump him or say yes and marry the jerk… Yes, I know who Miroku is… yes I do because I have known him longer than you… Then beat his ass and then make up… well it always seemed to work in the past… You know he loves you, and is a possible masochist… then why does he smile after you beat him for groping your ass… told you so. I will meet you tomorrow I am going to actually practice tonight and try not to blow anything up… How can you not believe that I am a priestess? You are dating a monk and you come from a line of demon slayers… that's what I thought…" I was having a phone conversation with my best friend when I realized that not only were my parents listening, big trouble, but we had company; very hot, demonic company. Then my mom scolded me before I hit the last step, "Kagome Nozomi Higuarashi! What did I say about swearing, not only that but we have a guest." I cringed, like me my mom was priestess and her punishments were far from normal, I knew I would get it later. "Sorry Sango I've got to go" with that I hung up the phone and turned to my parents and our company. I took in the appearance of the silver haired hanyou, despite the concealing spell, and said, "It is nice to see you again Inuyasha." I smiled as he ran and wrapped me in a bone crushing hug.

One figure sat silently in a nearby tree as she watched the scene below her unfold. She smiled as the hanyou and young priestess embraced each other in a long deserved hug. Her midnight blue and silver hair flowed in the slight breeze of the summer evening, she sighed and stood up to stretch her large dark wings, 'I am glad that you could be happy even though I can't... Nozomi' the shrouded figure thought as she spread her wings and took flight. Never to return to Japan.


End file.
